title: Carotid artery intima-media thickness, carotid plaque and coronary heart disease and stroke in Chinese.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Our aim was to prospectively investigate the association between carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) as well as carotid plaque and incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke in Chinese, among whom data are limited.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We conducted a community-based cohort study composed of 2190 participants free of cardiovascular disease at baseline in one community. During a median 10.5-year follow up, we documented 68 new cases of coronary heart disease and 94 cases of stroke. The multivariate relative risks (RRs) associated with a change of 1 standard deviation of maximal common carotid IMT were 1.38 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12-1.70) for CHD and 1.47 (95% CI, 1.28-1.69) for stroke. The corresponding RRs with internal carotid IMT were 1.47 (95% CI, 1.21-1.79) for CHD and 1.52 (95% CI, 1.31-1.76) for stroke. Carotid plaque measured by the degree of diameter stenosis was also significantly associated with increased risk of CHD (p for trend<0.0001) and stroke (p for trend<0.0001). However, these associations were largely attenuated when adjusting for IMT measurements.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This prospective study indicates a significant association between carotid IMT and incidence of CHD and stroke in Chinese adults. These measurements may be useful for cardiovascular risk assessment and stratification in Chinese.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kuo-Liong
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Chien
authors.forename: Ta-Chen
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Jiann-Shing
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Jeng
authors.forename: Hsiu-Ching
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Wei-Tien
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Ming-Fong
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yuan-Teh
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Frank B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D014463:Ultrasonography